Quick detachable coupling



June M, m. A, E E 2,473,459

QUICK DETAGHABLE COUPLING Filed Feb. 6, 1946 INVENTOR. Cine; 4 /%75'E ME/VE/ drawings inwhich:

Patented June 14, 1949 QUICK DETACHABLE COUPLING Carl A. Weise, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc., Santa Monica,

Calif.

Application February 6, 1946, Serial No. 645,721

9 Claims. (Cl. 285-429) This invention relates to couplings and more particularly to the type of coupling adapted to secure abutting flanged pipe or conduit members against relative movement.

The invention comprises a plurality of arcuate clamping members which are adapted to girdle the jointure of two or more abutting flanged pipe members, and retain them in locked engagement by suitably positioned quick acting clamping bands.

Each of the arcuate clamping members is provided with an inwardly disposed groove or bight portion adapted to encompass the abutting flanges of the pipes. The bight portion of the clamping member flares outwardly at the base portion thereof to provide coniform flanges which are disposed one on either side of the pipe jointure. A pressure plate is disposed between and secured to the extremities of the coniform flanges to form a bridge, thus providing a clamping member which is substantially triangular in crosssection. Grooves are provided along the outer surface of the pressure plate adjacent to the edges of the same which are adapted to receive the quick acting clamping bands. These bands, when in place, exert pressure against the coniform flanges which in turn push inwardly to squeeze the inner cam face portions of the bight together and resiliently grip the flanges of the abutting pipes to prevent relative movement of the same.

In certain applications of the invention where it is necessary to provide a gas tight joint, an asbestos packing can be inserted in the groove of the clamping member bight. Tightening of the clamping bands against the pressure plate forces the bight inwardly against the flanges of the pipe jointure so that the asbestos packing, positioned in the bight, is brought into pressural engagement with the edges of the flange to seal the same against leakage of gas or fluid.

This coupling operation is performed wholly on the outside of the flanged members to form a sealed, gas tight jointure which can be quickly and easily disconnected at any time without L changing the spacing of the joints or altering the structure at the end of the pipe. If, for instance, the packing should develop a leak, the

clamp may be removed and new packing inserted without moving either of the pipe sections laterally or longitudinally.

The various features of the flanged joint forming the subject of the present invention are illustrated in a preferred form in the accompanying Figure 1 is a perspective view of the quick detachable coupling as applied to a pair of pipe ends to be joined;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the coupling taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the quick acting clamp forming a part of the coupling; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary top view of the pressure plate which encircles the pipe flanges.

The coupling illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing comprises a plurality of clamping members, each of which is formed as an arcuate strip of material I! having a bight portion forming an inwardly disposed re-entrant groove [2. The width of the groove formed by the bight is equal to the combined thickness of the flanges to be joined, and the adjacent faces l3 and M of the bight are adapted to engage the outwardly disposed flange faces l5 and it of the flanged pipe members I1 and Hi. The base portion of the bight flares outwardly to provide conically extending flanges 20 and 2| which are disposed one on either side of the flanged jointure.

An arcuate pressure plate 23 is welded or otherwise secured at a plurality of spaced points 24 and 25 to the free edges of the flanges 2i and 2! to form a bridge therebetween and provide a clamping member having a substantially triangular cross-section as shown in Figure 2. Grooves 26 and 2'! are provided along the edges of the plate 23 by reversing the curvature of the material and are adapted to receive quick acting clamps 28, one in each groove.

The clamp 28 in the present invention comprises an arcuate rod 29, one end of which is anchored at 30 to an anchor block 3|. A hasp 32 is pivotally attached at 33 to a terminal member 34, which in turn is threaded at 35 to the opposite end of the rod 29. As shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, the hasp 32 is provided with a node 36 which engages a groove 31 in the anchor block 3!, to draw the rod in tension around the joint. The relationship between the anchored end 38 of the rod 29 and the pivoted joint of the hasp 32 is such that an off center linkage is provided. This off center linkage tends to retain the clamp in the locked position on the pressure plate of the clamping members. The threads 35 are provided on the end of the rod 29 so that the length of the same girdling the pipe can be adjusted according to the pressure desired against I the joint to make it gas tight.

When the pipes l1 and [8 are brought into engagement so that the flanges abut one another the sections of the clamping member may then be assembled in place around the jointure. Where it is desirable to provide a gas tight pipe joint, an asbestos compound packing 22 or other suitable packing material can be inserted in the bight so that the same will rest against the edges of the pipe flanges and seal them against leakage of gas or fluid. The rods 29 iomiin'g aipar t of the quick acting "clamp are then arranged in the grooves 26 and 21 provided therefor in the pressure plate. The node 36 of each hasp 32 is brought" into engagement with "the igroove "-3 1 in the anchor block. The hasps 32 of both quick acting clamps are then pressedjinwardly'towaflrd the joint so that the full -1engther"tne "roasts are brought into pressural engagement with the grooves 26 and 21 along the-"'dg'e' of *theszpnessure plate 23, and are made safe with wire or any other suitable means of iastening.

Simultaneously with the closing of the hasps 32, radial pressure is "exerted "against the clamping nrernber pressure plates 2 3 b'y the squeezing action ine-packing 22, positioned *in-t'he bight [2, makes jpress'ura'l'engag'emeritWith-the edge or the aibut- "ted flanges the pipes ""1 7 and 1'8, inwardmoventent of tneerampin memsers is arrested.

This arrest of inward movement causes "the bender base portion of thebiglit tobe'c'o'me'a pivot point for movement "oithe pressure "faces is and l'fltoiv'aid each otherfanda'gain'st the *flange faces tt and i6 "resultin Tromthe "radial 'pr'essfure of rods 2'9. "Thisgrip ingaction s ueezes*tnefianees "t'o'ge'th'er sothat the "pipes H and ia'e'annot be "members 'l'fithey are .proviitled "withrnotche's 38,

plane-member's; alplur'ality of "arcu'ate m'enibers surrounding the'm'emb'ers'to be coupled, e'a'ch arcu'ate member having a transversewextending resiliency adapted "to embrace the 'm'emb'ers "to be coupled; "m'ean's surroun'ding' sai'd ar'cuate mem- "b'er's laterally of said resiliency and "adapted to 4 extending surfaces; a member extending from the outer end of each of the lateral extensions to the outer portion of the transverse surfaces and united at each end to the sub-adjacent surface; and means peripherally surrounding each of the last-said members and diametrally contractile to thereby effect inward longitudinal displacement of said extensions, whereby to clam'pin'gly constrict said transverse surfaces a'gainstthe'abutted members.

3. A jointure, comprising: a pair of abutted members; longitudinally spaced members extending transversely of the abutted members and resilientl'y integrated at their outer ends to adapt them'to embrace-radially extending portions of the abutted members; a longitudinally displaceable:lateral extension, outwardly angled from the inner end of each of said transversely extending members; a member connecting the outer portion of said transverse members to the outer edge of each o'fsaid longitudinally'displaceable extensions ant-united at each extreniity to "the sub-adjacent mernb'er to complete a truss; and means peripherally surrounding said trus's'e's and contr'atileo'irplaoerrieiitofsaid trusses sufiiciexitlyto larn'p the abutted members "together.

"jointure, "comprising: a pair o'f'abutted qnenibers; longitu dinally 's'pac'ed surfaces extending transversely of the device and resiliently'inte'grated at their outer 'ends and adapted to embrace"poftions of the abutted members; a-di'sp'l'ace'alile, "outwardly angled, "lateral I extension "of the inner end of ean'di sai'd sur'faces; a member tonne-sting th'e outer' or'tion oi'th'eunited trans- ''-verse members to each "of safe lateral-extensions, said connecting'members'being adapted,-upon're- "lease-of the coupling, to "constrain said displaceabl'eextensions to-move longitudinally'and radizi'll'y-oxitWtrfdly "of *the -jo'int-'ure and, upon actua- "ti'On-ofthe coupling, to move longitudinally o fthe 'jointure andradi'ally inwardly; an'dmeansperipherally surrounding each of said connecting memtem and contractile eircumferentiany of "the device to-f'ifect saidinwa'r'd movement of said united "connectors 'andlat'erail extensionswhereby to con- "stitute'the-bendofeach lateral extension aiorc'e- "applying "point "'abuttabl'e "against the abutted rri'embersto thereby-effect clarnpingdf saidmem- "bers.

bearers-enemy constricted; 'andmeans operatively I interposed between the last-said 'm'eansanu said resiliency'fdreifectingie'dudtion mtnetransverse "diriiensionof "said resiliency, -wheieby to longitui'izingtompressiveiforcesto d"c'ouplable merribers.

2. LA jointure, "comprising: a ipair er abutted "m'e'r'hbers longitudinally :"spaced "surfaces "extend- "ing transversely "of the 'joint and resiliently integrated at their diiter endsjto-embr c at least fofitheabuttedfmembers;alateral extensinner theinner' enddf'each drsaid'transversny 5. A jointure, comprising: ap'air-of abutted "members; a member congruent with -at"lea'st a p'orti'on of th'eperipherybf'the "joint "andincliid- *ing *transversely "extending, longitudinally spaced members resiliently"integrated at thir'outerends and adapted to embrace *the abutted members a 1'0ngitudiri'ailly "movable lateral "extension angled outwardly'from the inner-"end of *e'achof said transverseiy extending members; a member can- "necting tl ie outer portion of" each of the lateral extensions' to "the "outer portion *ofsa'i'd embracin formation and adapted with each of 'said lateral -extensionstoconstitute aleverpivoted"resi1ie1it1y atsaid inte'gration foftrahsmitting forc'es' tosaid ibuttedm'ember's; and i'ne'ans "peripherallr'surcomprising: a generally annular member symmetrical about its transverse axis and including a pair of substantially similar triangular portions spaced longitudinally of the abutment and resiliently united at their outer apices, to provide a radially extending, inwardly openin annular groove for embracing the abutting members, the longitudinal inner sides of said triangles being angled outwardly to form bends thereat, and the outer side of each of said triangles being constituted by a member bridging the longitudinal space between the ends of said lateral extensions and constituting a truss-side for constraining said extensions to move radially and longitudinally inwardly upon deflection thereof; and a radial-pressure applying means peripherally surrounding each of said bridging members for deflecting the ends of said extensions radially inwardly, whereby to effect transformation of said radial deflection into longitudinal compressive forces applied at said bends to said abutted members.

7. A coupling device, comprising: a generally annular member adapted to peripherally surround abutted members and including a longitudinally spaced pair of triangular, trusses disposed laterally of the abutted members and resiliently connected at their outer apices; and means peripherally surrounding each of said trusses laterally of said connection and circumferentially contractile thereagainst suificiently to urge said trusses clampingly together about said connection as a pivot and against said abutting members.

8. A coupling device comprising: a member encircling a pair of face-wise engagin annular couplable-members; said first member including a resilient bridge portion radially embracing the couplable members and relatively rigid annular side portions extendin laterally away from the plane of said coupling device; and means peripherally surrounding said side portions and r plane of said jointure, and constrictable means peripherally engaging the free ends of said side portions; said bridge portion being relatively flexible in the plane of said jointure to serve as a virtual annular pivot and said side portions being relatively rigid; whereby radial contraction of said free ends will move said side portions toward each other about said virtual annular pivot to exert longitudinal compressive forces on said couplable members.

CARL A. WEISE.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 184,599 Ehrdardt Nov. 21, 1876 292,306 Hawley Jan. 22, 1884 1,007,326 Boyd Oct. 31, 1911 1,603,412 Rohde Oct. 19, 1926 2,089,940 Brown Aug. 17, 1937 2,208,859 Scott July 23, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 57,292 Norway Nov. 9, 1936 

